A Reprise of Chance
by CrossBreed777
Summary: Sequel to 'If Even A Chance'. Grace and Erik are trying to start their new lives under the Paris Opera house, but not all goes well when Erik loses his memory. Will he shun Grace and go after Christine? And who is the person who is searching for her?
1. Chapter 1

A Reprise of Chance

Chapter One: New Beginnings

~POTO~

Grace stared at the ceiling. She stared **blankly** at the ceiling. Her left eye twitched and she huffed in annoyance. She was bored, but it wasn't that she was bored with her marriage; she was just bored by the fact that her husband was needed by Raoul, to go overseas and finalize a deal with the Opera House. So, there she was, lying down in Erik's coffin, wishing the deal would close already so she could have Erik back.

It had been two weeks since Erik had left his home reluctantly and Grace had been trying to busy herself with babysitting the ballet rats, and doing her job at the Opera House, which wasn't the same because Erik was away.

Turning over she stared at the silk lining of the coffin, and fought back the annoyed and upset tears welling up in her eyes. She didn't like being alone. If she had her I-pod or phone she would have been fine, but since the two electronic devices had died she had been enveloped in silence.

She longed to hear Erik's melodic voice floating through the house on lake accompanied by his calming organ music, she even tried to imagine something that he would play when they were together, but the only things she could hear echoing in her head were the poorly thought of lyrics from the phantom sequel "Love Never Dies".

She blanched in disgust, how anyone could like the tripe was a mystery to her. She remembered that her sister from her adoptive family had gotten the soundtrack for her, and after listening to the first five tracks she bailed and went to do something else.

She faced the ceiling again and decided to get up, she knew there was no use in just lying there and decided to go up to the surface. She grinned evilly for a moment taking Erik's hooded cloak and extra mask with her, knowing that it might be worth while to scare some ballet rats for entertainment.

Donning the items of clothing she walked quickly up to the auditorium, taking stairs along the way two steps at a time. Scaring brats is just what she needed right now.

Climbing up onto the scaffolding of the catwalk, she prowled along in the shadows searching for one girl in particular from the ballet group. She spotted the black haired girl called Scarlette, which she had dubbed the 'head bitch' and waited until was hovering near a weak plank on the stage.

In a swift movement a sandbag fell onto the weak plank and the girl squealed as she was vaulted two feet into the air. When she landed she looked up only to get a glimpse of the hooded white mask and wore a horrified expression.

Grace bailed before the screams sounded and snuck away to the kitchen, she quickly discarded the cloak and mask in the hidden passage way and started to walk to the stage, but a familiar face caught her attention and she ran over to Nadir who greeted her with a smile.

"Any news?" Grace asked hopefully, Nadir smiled even more before handing her a letter with her name scrawled in Erik's messy and childlike hand-writing.

"I see you have been keeping Erik's legend alive while he is gone" Nadir noted as he watched several frightened ballet rats run past whispering about the 'Phantom of the Opera'.

Grace tucked the letter away in her pocket before snickering and looking up.

"Well someone has to keep order around here, while he's away" Grace looked down remembering that he was, in fact not here. "I just miss him" she admitted unknowingly keeping a grip on the letter so tight that her knuckles were turning white.

"I know, but maybe there is good news in that letter he sent you" Nadir said comfortingly, they were interrupted by the black haired 'head bitch'.

"Well it's obvious that your husband can't stand your company" she said, Grace's head snapped in the girl's direction, a fate worse than death lingered behind her glare which knocked Scarlette down a notch in confidence, but she persisted.

"But I'm not surprised, with looks like yours I'm shocked that he even agreed to marry you" Scarlette taunted

Grace snarled in response and Nadir had to hold her back

"What do you know, Bitcheralla? I bet you've slept with so many men that I bet you're far beyond tainted for any real men to even consider being married to you!" Grace fought back fiercely.

Nadir, shocked by her words, nearly let go, but held a firm grip so Scarlette wouldn't need to be put in a morgue.

"Young lady!" Nadir started, talking to Scarlette "Never have I been so insulted by words not meant for me, I suggest you leave before I tire of keeping Mrs. Destler from harming you"

Scarlette with wide eyes turned and ran back to Madame Giry to report on her sudden bully, and Nadir started to loosen his grip on Grace whose shoulders were starting to shake.

"Thanks for stopping me and helping me" Grace said her voice a little shaky

"It is not a problem"

He noted that her distress radiated off her in waves and he cringed as he heard a muffled sob.

"That girl has no idea of your love for Erik, and she never will… You should return home, I'm sure you're anxious to read that letter" he said trying to cheer her up and smiled at Grace as her head rose and she bid him farewell.

As she ran off he turned his attention to the direction the girl, Scarlette, had run in. Just as he had suspected he found her complaining to Madame Giry about her mistreatment. He shared a look with the elder Giry and watched as she sent the girl off in a huff.

"I swear that girl is a copy of that prima-dona: Carlotta" Madame Giry sighed

"I suggest you keep her a tight leash" Nadir said as a command "She has been a nuisance for far too long, and today she was appalling, never have I seen Grace so upset about anything"

When Nadir mentioned Grace, Madame Giry knew she would have to restrict Scarlette's activities anywhere.

"I don't know what it is but that girl, but she seems to think everything revolves around her, what is it exactly that she said to Grace?" Giry asked and Nadir started to tell the headstrong ballet instructor the exact dialogue that transferred between the two girls.

Meanwhile in the catacombs Grace sat in a curled position in one of the cushioned chairs in the library. The room was warm with a cosy feel and she was glad she had lit the fire in the fireplace earlier. She held the note in her hand and smoothed out the crinkled paper reading the scratchy writing with a contented smile.

_My Dearest_

_I find that each day that passes in England to be slow and dreadful. Without your company, I find myself more disinclined to help the Fop with this ridiculous plan to join companies overseas and miss you ever so dearly. I have made it clear to Raoul that if he wishes me to stay here for longer than planned that he can expect nothing from me. He does not understand this feeling; I do not understand why he allowed Christine to go and not you. I must thank you again for your brilliant idea of this mask I now wear, without it I am sure I would be attracting many stares. I am always thinking about you and I long to hold you in my arms again. I must go to settle an argument between the new business partners and Raoul; I find it ironic that I am the one with no social skills._

_Always in my heart,_

_Erik_

Grace sighed happily and hugged the paper to her chest. She stood up and walked over to a roller desk filled with stationery items and a picture of the couple in Moscow during a holiday before the wedding.

Sitting at the desk she started to write a reply.

_ My One and Only_

_Today was a nightmare until I got your letter. You have no idea how happy and relieved I was to receive it, but you might, considering how you feel when you receive this letter. I don't see why Raoul had to take you to England; he's old enough to settle his own business propositions. And you know why he can't leave Christine behind especially since they have a child – It's not an excuse, and I do have to say that what he did was a bastard act – It's not like we don't have our own lives to start. Also, make it clear to Raoul that if he does try to make you stay for longer that I will swim the English Channel to beat the girlish features off of his face. I'm glad the mask is helping you with social calls in the open. _

_I forever await your embrace, my anti-social musician._

_Grace_

She crossed out the last line so that it was clear enough for Erik to see and so that he could tell she was teasing.

_I forever await your embrace,_

_Grace_

She placed the pen down and let the ink dry. She took a deep breathe and smiled when the scent of ink, paper and envelopes wafted up into her senses. If she had to describe the way Erik smelled it would be a combination of the roller desk, the earth and a slight tinge of smoke.

She frowned for a moment deciding that the analysis seemed a bit disturbing, even for her standards and went to find Nadir so he could mail her letter for her.

Along the way Grace tried to think of ways to distract herself, either by memorising an entire opera or maybe even memorise a book. She remembered seeing a poetry book in the library, but shook her head at the thought, she hated poetry.

She passed the kitchens again humming a song from 'A Very Potter Musical' which reverberated off the close walls and took a quick left avoiding an old trap that had rusted over but still proved a threat when bumped.

She spotted Nadir outside the front doors from a peep hole and snuck out from behind a small crowd of workers.

"Nadir, did I make record time?" she asked cheerfully, along the way she had heard Madame Giry verbally abusing young Scarlette and this had lifted her spirits conveniently.

"Ah, yes, I believe you have" he was still trying to get used to her future lingo "Although if you want me to send this letter today I would have to leave now" he informed her

"If it isn't any trouble please" she said shooting him an apologetic smile "Would you like to join me for dinner tonight or tea maybe, as a thank you?" she asked

"That would be delightful, I'll see you tonight then" he said bidding her farewell before walking quickly to the post office and disappeared into the Paris crowd.

And Grace was left alone again, waiting for the next two weeks to pass until Erik returned.

~POTO~

**Well, I had a burst of inspiration for the sequel I decided to not continue – so, yes, the beginning is a bit depressing but it'll get better once Erik gets back from London…**


	2. Chapter 2

A Reprise of Chance

Chapter Two: From London He Returns

**BIG WARNING: I was on a big debate whether or not I should post this chapter, simply because of the content later in this chapter, so don't hate me for it later – I hold no responsibility if your eyes start to bleed!**

~POTO~

As soon as the ship docked in the bay, Erik, with his suitcase in hand, took off down from the ship and down the street to hail a carriage. It had been far too long since he had last seen the Opera House and more importantly, Grace. He managed to flag one down and curtly told his destination to the driver before stepping into the carriage.

He felt like an excited child as he neared the Populaire and practically leaped out when he arrived. Paying the driver a large amount of francs he was suddenly tackled from behind. The carriage departed and Erik took his wife into his arms before hearing a muffled "I missed you so much!"

When Grace finally looked up there were tears in her eyes and Erik felt a familiar tug at his heart as he had felt the same while he was away.

"Ma Chère, it is alright now, I am here" he said comfortingly, they were starting to gain stares now, but Erik couldn't care less – a trait he had picked up from Grace.

In the distance another carriage made its way to the Opera House and when it arrived Grace dried her tears and watched as Raoul de Chagney stepped out and helped Christine down from the carriage.

When Christine was out of the way Grace stormed angrily over to Raoul and punched him in the shoulder with all her might.

"That's for taking **my **Erik away from me!" she growled as Raoul yelped and massaged his sore arm. Grace was interrupted by another hug, this time from Christine.

"I really wish you wouldn't harm my husband" Christine said seriously before adding "But you have my permission, this once"

Grace laughed and hugged her tightly before letting go and, once again, attaching herself to Erik's torso.

"Did you have anymore trouble with **that **girl?" Erik asked suddenly taking a serious tone in his voice. Grace nodded her head slowly into his chest and looked up

"But don't do anything yet, you only just got back and I want you all to myself" she said, whispering the last part. Erik blushed, which was luckily hidden underneath his skin coloured mask.

"Well then, I don't want to keep you waiting" he whispered huskily. He felt Grace shudder in his embrace. Suddenly Erik picked Grace up with a squeal while skilfully carrying his suitcase and disappeared into the Opera House.

Raoul pulled a face and gagged slightly

"How can she stand him?" he asked, this made Christine shoot him a disdainful look.

"Can't you be happy that it's her and not me?" Christine asked angrily. Raoul's features softened.

"I am, but she is our descendant and I just don't trust him" Raoul replied

"So you're worried about her?" Christine asked coyly

"No! Well, yes, kind of" Raoul said "I just worry that he might hurt her and revert to his old ways and keep her down there as his prisoner"

"I would have thought that the trip we took would have made you see the difference in him, like the fact that he's more relaxed in crowds, he can stand a pat on the shoulder without attacking back and he's tolerating you, even after his comeback as the Phantom. He's doing this all for her, so she can have some sort of normality in new life" Christine argued

"It didn't stop him from complaining throughout the entire trip" Raoul mumbled. Christine let out an exasperated sigh and stared at her husband.

"Or maybe it's the fact that Erik turns out to be your future relative" Christine giggled as she watched Raoul's expression turn into one of horror.

"Don't remind me"

~POTO~

**~Warning~**

Once Erik made it down to the lair he tossed the suitcase expertly onto the couch with one hand and carried Grace to 'their' coffin. He chuckled when he saw the sheets in the coffin ruffled and instead of taking Grace to a proper bed in the lair he held her vertically before falling back into the coffin.

"You really have missed me haven't you?" Erik asked as he enveloped himself of the familiarity of the place and her scent that lingered on the sheets.

"You have. Absolutely. No. Idea" Grace replied feeling content in just being held by the man she loved.

After the wedding they had to put their honeymoon and wedding night on hold because of Raoul's lack of business abilities. But now that Erik was back… Well, it was safe to say that she never wanted to let him go.

Grace moved upwards and kissed Erik on the lips, which he invited happily, and pressed her body against him which made him groan a little. She ran her fingers up from his side and onto his chest, memorising every muscle and rib – which was now less prominent after Grace had put him on a proper healthy diet.

He deepened the kiss and grabbed her free hand before guiding it to his mask, which was in the way of their kissing and she slipped it off, using the free hand to cup his face.

There was a quick movement and Erik had flipped her over so now he towered over her. Resting on his knees, he loosened his cravat and shrugged off his jacket. Grace helped by quickly, but carefully unbuttoning his vest and shirt.

Now completely shirtless Erik returned to what had preoccupied him seconds before and kissed Grace's neck, making her shiver. Shifting from kissing to sucking Erik heard Grace moan his name and a part of him violently responded.

Pulling off her shirt gently he eyed the bra frowning from a memory. He heard Grace giggle as she remembered it too.

"This had better not be a 'frontsie' as you put it last time" Erik growled in annoyance. Corsets he could handle, Grace's weird bras – he could not.

"Don't worry, its not" she replied, he had already set to work trying to unhook the back and he growled in annoyance when his fingers fumbled for the right sections. Grace laughed and undid the bra for him which he tore away quickly and discarded.

Returning his attention to her neck Erik slid his hands up and cupped one of Grace's breasts in his hand, the other holding her hips down while they tried to grind into his.

He heard Grace gasp when he finally notified her of his need and unclipped her belt on a pair of pants he recognised to be his. He chuckled and undid the zipper but…

The alarms went off and Erik growled into Grace's neck.

He heard an angry huff from Grace as she sat up and glared in the general direction of the alarms. Erik stood up and reached underneath the coffin and pulled out his Punjab lasso but stopped when he heard Grace's muffled laughter.

"What?" he asked

"You're going to confront whoever it is like that?" she asked muffling more laughter.

Erik looked down and blushed while Grace chuckled at his apparent problem. Erik grabbed a cloak and draped himself in it trying to hide the problem while his chest was exposed; he glared at Grace when she laughed again.

"Don't move!" he said while ducking out of the room, Grace listened to a series of yells and rants before she heard a body being pushed into the water, and watched Erik walk back in with a superior smile.

"Feel better?" she asked

"Not exactly" he took that moment to pounce onto her and she giggled gleefully.

Once again he kissed her neck and started to pull her pants off slowly, she responded by unbuttoning his own pants which he shimmied off and out of the coffin. Grace gasped when she saw him and blushed averting her eyes to the now interesting side of the coffin. Erik chuckled and looked down at her panties which had the picture design of a padlock - 'username and password' print of the front.

Only vaguely getting the joke he chuckled and tugged at the hem of the lace outlining pulling them down. Kissing Grace passionately he laughed at her embarrassment and let his hand sneak down from her chest and past her belly button.

Grace moaned his name again as he hovered over her, he finally moved his fingers away from her sensitive area and gave her a look that she understood immediately.

He was careful at first; slowly getting her ready by gently prodding her opening but decided to get it over and done with entering her. He heard a whimper and held her in his arms.

"You never told me that you were-" Erik started

"What gave you the impression that I wasn't?" Grace interrupted with a flushed face

"You told me that females in the future didn't care for old fashioned morals – I'm sorry, I shouldn't have assumed" Erik said feeling guilty

"No, its fine" Grace replied "Maybe I should have **elaborated**"

"Are you alright?" he asked, he hadn't moved

"Yeah"

She shifted underneath him and a moment of bliss captured them both.

"Oh God… I never thought-" she groaned mid-sentence as Erik thrust forward; she unconsciously wrapped her legs around his mid section and rocked her hips.

It went like this for a while before both gasped with pleasure, Erik shaking on top of her and Grace – shuddering underneath.

They lied there panting before Grace opened her eyes that she didn't know were shut.

"So, who interrupted earlier?" she asked regaining her breathe

"… Nadir, saying he needed to speak with me about recent events, I told him they could wait" Erik grunted

"Good" she sighed out loud and allowed Erik to shift over to his side of the coffin. It wasn't long until Grace heard Erik's gentle snoring and she smiled laying her head over his heart.

"Welcome home"

~POTO~

**Sorry, I didn't mean to bombard you with Erik-y goodness in bed… So if you're wondering why THE SCENE was badly written, it was probably because it was my first attempt at it… So yeah – pay no mind to that.**

**Also, Erik is back… Yay!**


	3. Chapter 3

A Reprise of Chance

Chapter Three: Upside Down

~POTO~

Erik now watched the practice for the new opera upon the catwalk on the far side where no one could see him. He chuckled as he saw a small group of ballerinas fall over when one stopped abruptly. He decided to move over to a better vantage point and snuck over to the other side, bur halted when he saw a young stagehand trying to refill the oil lamps.

Erik chuckled darkly and the boy spun around before screaming and running off, dropping and spilling the oil container at Erik's feet. Erik growled as he bent down to clean off his new shoes but stopped when he heard Grace's name.

"I can't believe it was her that tricked me two weeks ago, the strumpet" Scarlet complained to her entourage of friends

Erik growled and watched as the group continued walking away instead of practicing. He smirked as he planned to scare the girl or get her fired. As he went to run off his foot slipped on the oil and he fell back hitting his head against the scaffolding.

Madame Giry gave an annoyed sigh and climbed the ladder up to the catwalk when she heard to boy scream. She finally made it to the top but what she found wasn't what she thought she would find. Erik sat up with his head in his hands and groaned, he tried to look around but found that his vision was blurry.

"Erik! Are you alright?" Madame Giry asked as she knelt down beside him

"Yes, I'm fine!" he growled trying to stand up but had to rely on the elder Giry's help

He decided to let Madame Giry lead him to wherever they were going but was surprised when they came to the manager's office and before he knew it they were inside.

"What happened?" a voice he loathed asked; he didn't dare look up but saw something on the desk that caught his attention. Snatching the paper up he read the date and looked up and around starting to panic.

"This can't be right" he said scanning the headline of the paper

"Is he okay?" Raoul asked nervously

"I don't know"

Erik growled, there were a few squeals outside the door that only meant that the ballet rats had caught on to the young stagehands collision with the opera ghost.

"Excuse me" Madame Giry said before going out to quell the noise

"Maybe I time travelled" Erik murmured quietly

"What? Like Grace? I doubt it" Raoul frowned "Have you forgotten everything?"

"Why am I even discussing this with you?" Erik snarled "You are my enemy! And how do you know about Grace?"

"… You don't remember?" Raoul asked, Erik snorted

"All I know is that the date is wrong it should be the 16th of October 1871" he spat out

"What?" Raoul asked

"You heard me, monsieur" Erik growled

A light bulb went off in Raoul's head as he tried to hide a devious smirk. Erik was too disoriented to notice. Deciding to trick the Phantom, Raoul continued

"Well Grace came back, and she blacked mailed you into making you her slave" he tried to say with all seriousness "She's in the lair right now, and now Christine is with me"

Erik glared at the man ferociously and stood up quickly, ignoring the sudden wooziness in his head he turned to a secret passageway in the wall. Christine walked in as he left and turned to Raoul who was hiding a smile.

"Madame Giry told me what happened, is he alright?" she asked

"Yes… He just can't remember the last couple of years, he'll be fine" Raoul replied, Christine paled

"And he just left, to go where exactly?" Christine asked

"To his lair, don't worry, I'm sure he'll remember everything once he gets down there" Raoul assured her

"And if he doesn't?" Christine asked annoyed

"… Oh"

~POTO~

Erik was furious. If what that fop said was true then he had trusted Grace in the past for nothing. Yes, he felt bad for what he said to her, but this was a violation of his privacy. How did she black-mail him anyway. A part of Erik's mind told him to slow down and listen to reason, that trusting in what the fop was a step too far.

He finally made it to the house on the lake and rushed inside; closing the door he passed and did a quick sweep of the library noticing small oddities, like books that hadn't been put away.

Stepping into the parlour room he found Grace sitting on the couch reading with her legs crossed over, she looked older and a part of Erik's mind told him that something was off, that he was forgetting something. She looked up.

"That was quick, the production practices must be moving along well if you didn't stay long enough to cut loose a backdrop" she said then looked back down. Erik stayed silent, not sure what to say or how to. She looked up again and raised an eyebrow

"Something up? You don't seem like yourself" she stated placing the book down and getting up. He decided to play along, he wanted to see how this would play along

"Ah, yes, I'm fine" Erik replied quietly

"Okay, something's defiantly up, like this morning when you just up and left without saying anything after I fell back asleep and is that… Is that lamp oil on your new shoes?" Grace asked "They were expensive!"

He looked down and noted that they were in fact new and expensive shoes. She walked over to him and watched as she paled. She rushed over and grabbed his arm before sitting him on the couch.

"Your head is bleeding!"

He went to touch it but his hand was slapped away by Grace who rolled her eyes and stared at him

"Don't touch it, now lean your head sideways so I can get a better look" he didn't move and he felt Grace slap his shoulder "Don't be stubborn, let me look"

He growled and complied letting her get a quick glimpse. He heard her gasp lightly as she winced, it must have looked bad.

"What the hell happened to you?" she asked incredulously

"What?" Erik replied standing up quickly, he again ignored the dizziness, but heard the alarms go off and Raoul's voice again

"WAIT! WAIT! I WAS JOKING! I SWEAR!"

"… What?" Grace asked shifting her eyes "Did I miss something?"

Raoul finally made it to the house on the lake and had to take a few breaths before he could speak again. Raoul looked at Erik with panicked eyes

"I. Was. Joking!" he said in between breaths

"We've established that" Grace replied dryly making Erik raise an eyebrow in her direction "But what were you joking about?"

"Erik hit his head"

"I can see that" Grace growled, Erik glared at Raoul, wondering how he knew his name

"And forgot certain things" the room was silent for a while

"Wait, wait, wait… You're telling me that Erik got hurt, forgot god-knows-what and you tricked him?" Grace asked "What is wrong with you? No, Seriously! What kind of idiot does that?"

"If I may interrupt" Erik said suddenly "But may I inquire as to what has happened in the last two years?"

"Ah, sure" Grace replied, she then turned to Raoul "Why are you still here?"

After Raoul left Grace finished studying Erik's head and put some antiseptic wash over the small gash. When she was done she sat next to him.

"Now, what do you remember?" she asked staring thoughtfully at him.

"It had just been the 1871 masquerade…" Erik said staring at his hands but in the corner of his eyes he saw Grace's go wide.

"THE 1971 MASQUERADE?" Grace yelped surprised

"Ooohhhh boy, this is gonna be painful to explain…" she paused "I-I don't know where to start… NO ME GUSTA!"

"How about when you returned" Erik said darkly, Grace winced

"You couldn't change your story – so basically everything went the way it was supposed to. Don't look at me like that! None of this was my fault" she warned fiercely. "You tried to get Christine and ended up with the Opera House being burnt down"

"What, but I saw the structure upstairs-!" Erik started, Grace continued

"It was rebuilt, but I returned before they started fixing it" she swallowed "I wasn't ready to confront you after our nasty farewell, so I waited for seven years in my time before returning a year after I left here – if that makes sense"

"I found you down here; I think that was when you really needed me most" She heard Erik scoff and tried to ignore it but she snapped back. "Hey! Don't you dare. I don't care if you can't remember anything; it doesn't mean you can just snub me" she huffed.

"So, somehow we rekindled our friendship" Erik asked

"Yes" Grace replied stiffly

Erik was about to reply when several images and voices rushed through his mind at once. He griped his head and groaned.

"Erik! Are you alright?" he heard Grace call

Something told him that this was very wrong, that he was treating her wrong and his mind kept hounding him to cease and desist. Tears welded up in his eyes and the feeling of dread and guilt wracked his brain.

"ERIK!" Grace called panicked, she reached over and grabbed his shoulders to try and support his slouching frame but his hands grabbed hers before she could help and he looked confused at their hands.

Erik's eyes grew wide when he saw a flash of gold on both their hands.

"… Were married…?"

~POTO~

**Ohhhhhh drama llama… So yeah this is where the plot kicks in, I found this chapter quite difficult to write seeing as how I don't mix well with drama and angst, but hopefully it'll get better…**

**Cheers**

**CB777**


	4. Chapter 4

A Reprise of Chance

Chapter Four: Are you even reading these?

~POTO~

"…_Were married…?"_

Erik watched Grace bit her lip and nodded slowly. He let go of her hands and went back to cradling his head in his hands.

She coughed nervously "… Maybe I should finish explaining" Grace spoke softly; she knelt down in front of him and sighed, rubbing the back of her neck.

"It wasn't that long after that Nadir came looking for you as well and with the help of Madame Giry we hid you until it was safe to move you back here… It was around that time that Christine, Meg and the Fop found out I was back"

Erik watched her grimace at the memory and shudder

"They made me go shopping"

He snickered at this comment.

"Anyway we found out that de Chagney had bought the Opera House-" she was interrupted

"WHAT!" Erik yelled

"That was pretty much your response" she pointed out "Except there was more yelling, and pacing, and table flipping"

"Table flipping?" Erik asked

"Not really, but you get the idea… After that Raoul started being suspicious about my whereabouts when I went to visit you and Nadir, he tried following me once – which didn't work – and then Christine found out that you were back" Grace watched Erik closely

"Let me guess, she told her precious patron" Erik spat out

"No actually, we ended up telling her everything" Grace replied frowning. Erik stared at her wide eyed

"Everything?"

"Yep, that I was from the future, the real reason why I came to the past and I took her to the future for proof" Grace went shifty eyed "She met my *ahem* friends"

"Oh dear" Erik stated

"Yes well, there's more" Grace said sitting up, looking uncomfortable and fiddling with the stitching of her sleeve.

"Raoul tried to confront me after hearing a conversation between me and Christine, he hit the watch and he and I went to the future" she was quick to continue "I sent him back and dealt with him later, but not before I found out some interesting news… You see, my family adopted me and my real parents came to visit me…" she paused searching for the right wording "Their surname was… De Chagney"

"What?" Erik replied

"I am the descendant of Christine and Raoul De Chagney" Grace stated. She was now fiddling with her wedding band twisting it backwards and forth.

"… I don't believe you" Erik said suddenly and Grace's head snapped up

"WHAT!"

"I don't believe you, it can't be true" Erik replied

"Do you want proof?" Grace forced out, this was starting to piss her off.

She stood up suddenly and stormed into their room and brought out the worn broach and leather diary and slammed them down on the table.

"Read and see for yourself – that diary belonged to Christine and there are entries dating months from now" Grace growled

"How do I know you didn't just go to the future and take these?" Erik sneered

That was the last straw…

"THE WATCH STOPPED WORKING, YOU BASTARD!" Grace yelled before storming out of the house.

Erik watched her leave in shock, even when she was younger she never got angry with him, not even after locking her in the torture chamber or purposely leaving her in one of his traps. Once again the feeling that he had done something terribly wrong ebbed at his mind and created a hollow feeling in his stomach.

Picking up the diary he started reading.

~POTO~

Upstairs Grace felt horrible. She had never yelled at Erik, not even when he deserved it. She groaned into her hands and peered through her fingers down onto the stage. She was in the rafters relishing the alone time to sulk and wallow in her own self pity.

"Grace?" she heard her named being called. It was Madame Giry.

"Yes?" Grace asked looking up, although she hadn't started crying they already looked red.

"Raoul told me what happened" she started "Did he really forget everything?"

Grace nodded her head and returned her gaze to the empty stage

"I'm sorry you have to endure this" Madame Giry said sitting next to the twenty year old. Grace sighed and smiled slightly

"I'm a little upset by what he said, but I'm more upset about what I did in return. I promised myself that I wouldn't get angry with him and I did" Grace confessed

"You must be a saint to have lasted this long" Madame Giry commented dryly. Grace laughed and sighed again

"I hope he's not too angry with me"

~POTO~

Erik sat hidden near where the two women talked; he had read half of the diary quickly before coming to find Grace. He listened intently as she spoke about him and about the events around a man named Gaulle.

The name stuck in his head like he had heard it before. For some reason it made him feel angry. He thought back to the images that had flashed through his head earlier, most of them were of Grace and others were of her deterring the affections of a man. The man must have been Gaulle.

Unknown to Grace, Madame Giry and Erik, another eavesdropper hid nearby.

Scarlette heard every word and while she didn't know who Erik was – they had only mentioned him as simply Erik – she knew who Gaulle was. She grinned and snuck back to her dormitory, she now knew that Grace was the one her uncle had spoken of.

Meanwhile Madame Giry left to leave Grace to her thoughts and Erik took this moment to sit next to her. He awkwardly put his arm out and pulled her into a half hug, although it was awkward it felt normal and Erik relaxed at the natural feeling.

"I'm sorry… About earlier" he spoke softly, he watched Grace smile sadly and lean into the hug

"It's alright" she replied

"No it isn't" Erik said shaking his head "It was rude of me…"

"Always the gentleman" Grace chuckled "Are you okay? Earlier you seemed like you were in a lot of pain" she said referring to rush of images

"Yes, I think… It was strange, it was like I could see pictures that were familiar, but…" Erik stopped

"But you couldn't remember it happening?" Grace asked looking up at him

"Yes"

"What exactly did Raoul say about me when Madame Giry took you to his office?" Grace asked, Erik scoffed

"I don't see how it matters now" Erik stated

"Oh, but it does, I need to know how much I need to hurt him" Grace replied grinning evilly. Erik raised an eyebrow

"When did you become so… enjoyable to be around?" Erik asked, Grace laughed

"Oh? Flirting are we?" she asked, Erik shifted uncomfortably next to her

"I didn't see the harm in it since we are married" he said looking down at the band on his own hand. She leaned more into him.

"… You're not uncomfortable with it?" she asked, he thought about it

"A little, I must admit, but I like the idea" he said

"Even if it's me?"

The question was innocent but held insecurity and fear behind it.

"Even if it's you" Erik replied, there was a pause "Shall we return to the house?"

"Sure, I am kind of tired" she said rubbing her eyes, the redness had disappeared and was replaced with tiredness. Erik smiled and walked with her back to the fifth cellar, but stopped when Grace decided to trash the Viscount's office.

"It's only fair" she said taking some books out of the bookcase and tossing them across the room to the settee. Erik watched amused as she then scattered important papers around the room and burned less important papers in the fireplace. She then started to steal the candles in the room. She raised an eyebrow at Erik.

"You wanna help me flip the table?" she asked, he grinned in return and helped her turn the table over. Erik decided to remove the draws and hid them around the room while Grace started writing in ink on the walls. When they were finished they surveyed the room with triumph.

"That should do it" Grace said turning to Erik

"You would have made a really good Phantom" Erik chuckled, together they returned to the house on the lake.

"Um, should I sleep in a different room?" Grace asked once they entered the drawing room, Erik blushed

"Oh, uh maybe that would be wise" he coughed nervously and lead her to the old Louis Phillip room

"Goodnight Erik" she said to him as he turned to leave, he looked back and Grace smiled a confident smile "I love you whether you like it or not"

Erik was taken aback by this comment, but he smiled in return.

"I'm sure, no; I know I love you too"

~POTO~

**Urgh, so much fluff~**

**Well yes, Erik knows that he loves her deep down, besides, if he said otherwise I'm sure Grace would come after him and beat him up. Oh and Scarlette seems to be up to something… hur hur hur**

**Cheers**

**CB777**


	5. Chapter 5

A Reprise of Chance

Chapter Five

~POTO~

Erik growled into the side of his coffin. He wanted to compose after he and Grace parted ways in the hallway, but fatigue gnawed at him and he decided to retire. But now, he couldn't get comfortable, he felt that something was missing and he had to resist the urge to bang his head against the coffin side in frustration.

He finally shifted to lie on his back and pouted childishly, letting the adult in him disappear momentarily. He was getting irritable and he knew it. Erik realised that Grace had probably gotten him into a normal sleep routine; he groaned and rubbed his hands over his bare face.

A sudden thought came to him. If he and Grace were together now, did that mean that she had seen his face? Both relieved and horrified by the realisation that she probably had, Erik closed his eyes in deep thought.

Meanwhile in the Louis Philippe Room Grace tossed and turned. She too could not get comfortable and she knew why. It was because Erik was not next to her and with that thought she buried her face into her pillow. Out of all the luck she had, this had to happen!

She rolled over knowing that she was being selfish and the sudden thought that Erik might go after Christine occurred. She fought it off knowing he wouldn't get that far, Madame Giry had spoken with Christine earlier informing her of the situation.

Grace finally gave up on sleep and got up, making her way to the kitchen. As she passed Erik's room she opened the door and took a peek inside. She couldn't tell if he was asleep, but he soon rolled to his side for a more comfortable position.

Grace sighed in relief and padded over to the coffin. She eyed the box jealously and sat next to it. In her mind the debate waged of whether or not she should clamber in. If she did, they would be both comfortable but Erik would be angry the next morning. If she didn't it would be a rough night for both of them.

She sighed and rubbed her temples, if she was going to die, she was going to die happy. And so she climbed in carefully and snuggled into Erik's chest. She heard a contented sigh and arms wrapped around her.

'_Yes'_ she thought _'This is totally worth it'_

~POTO~

When Erik woke he was a lot happier than the night before, he felt well rested and content, but it wasn't until he looked down when he realized why. Grace breathed softly next to him with one of her hands gently gripping his shirt, he stared wide eyed.

When did she sneak in?

He shifted nervously and Grace frowned a little before snuggling into Erik's side. He heard a contented sigh and was dumbfounded by the evidence before him. The girl he knew as a child had definitely grown up.

Grace stirred from her sleep and looked up with glazed eyes, he watched as realisation smacked her in the face and she blushed.

"Oh… Good morning Erik" she laughed nervously "I'm sorry for the… intrusion. I just… I couldn't sleep last night" she finished lamely. She hesitated as she got up from the coffin and Erik had to resist the urge to pull her back down, he was quite comfortable before.

Erik coughed nervously "Don't be… I have to admit that I found it quite nice". This comment was rewarded with a warm smile.

"How about I make some pancakes for breakfast?" she asked standing up and walking to the closet to retrieve some clothes. Erik went to protest but was surprised when he saw a majority of her clothes mingled with his.

"… Yes thank you" he said watching her move to their shared bathroom

"Alright, I start in a few minutes" she replied before closing the door.

Erik sighed and ran his hands through his hair over his face. He stopped abruptly when he realized he wasn't wearing his mask.

**She Had Seen**. She had seen his face and smiled at him. Time seemed to slow down for Erik as thoughts ran through his head at high speed. All his life Erik had wanted acceptance from somebody, anybody, and know he had it. And yet he felt conflicted. He wanted to embrace the acceptance; he wanted to remember what he and Grace had shared, but he couldn't and he cursed his memory.

But another thought occurred. What of Christine, what had transpired between her, Erik and the viscount? He sighed and got up himself, walking over to the closet he retrieved some clothes for the day. He would ask Grace what had happened, she was from the future, she would know.

He changed and moved through the house waiting for Grace to finish in the bathroom. He must have been lost in thought because Grace had gone to find him when the first batch of pancakes had been made.

"So what's on your mind?" Grace asked sitting down across from with her own stack of pancakes.

"… I have to ask, what happened that night? Between…" he paused "Surely you can tell me now"

Grace nodded sadly

"From what I know you made Christine chose between you and Raoul" she started "The scorpion and the grasshopper…"

"What?" Erik asked confused, Grace looked up and rubbed the back of her neck

"You had made a device with two switches. One with a scorpion and one with a grasshopper. If Christine were to chose the grasshopper, it would have meant that she had chosen Raoul, but also to activate the barrels under the torture chamber, blowing up the Populaire and half of Paris. If she chose the scorpion, it meant she chose you and to dispatch the barrels into the lake"

"She chose the scorpion, but you let Christine and Raoul go" she looked up at Erik and saw a horrified look on his face

"I made them go through such an ordeal by fire" Erik cried "How can you love such a monster"

Grace got up from her seat and moved over to him.

"You let them go Erik, you are not a monster. In the end you chose to do the right thing and that action spoke louder than word could" she replied taking him into her arms "You will never be a monster to me"

She heard him sob and pulled him closer. They sat there like that for a few minutes before the sobs subsided.

"I had a dream last night" Erik said partially relishing in the fact that he was in her embrace

"What happened in it?" Grace asked cocking her head sideways

"We were walking through a park during the night, it was winter and there was a pond with the edges frosting over… You were wearing a dress and we were both happy" he looked up and stared shocked as Grace stared off into space with a dreamy look on her face.

"That was our first night out together"

The room stood in a comfortable silence. That was until the alarms went off.

"Why do they always go off when it's peaceful" Grace asked irritated

"Karma" Erik chuckled, Grace laughed at the memory and they went to intercept whoever had traversed to the fifth cellar.

~POTO~

Madame Giry, Christine and Nadir sat nervously in the parlour room with Erik. Outside they could hear the rage in Grace's rising voice; she was currently verbally abusing Raoul on the shore of the lake.

"And if you think I'm angry now" they heard her say warningly "You're got another thing coming. Try something like that again and I will come after you! There is no doubt that **you** will **need** a body bag"

The door opened and Grace stomped in, sat in a chair closest to Erik and huffed angrily.

"That was the most entertaining thing I have ever heard" Erik said resisting the urge to chuckle

Raoul then entered cautiously and fearfully sitting silently next to Christine. Erik and Grace glared at him.

"Oh stop it!" Madame Giry scolded them both "You're acting like children"

Erik shifted his gaze to Madame Giry but Grace continued to glare at Raoul.

"I didn't say you could come in" Grace said darkly

Madame Giry sighed exasperated and Erik burst out laughing

"I stand corrected" he laughed

Raoul, who was about to retort closed his mouth when he saw that Grace was still glaring at him.

"Again I apologise" Raoul said defeated

"Good! Now get out of my house!" Grace replied. Erik had never laughed so much in his life.

Raoul looked pleadingly at Christine but she shook his head at him.

"You shouldn't have tricked him" Christine replied wanting to stay out of the line of fire

"But what about Raoul's office" Nadir asked shifting in his seat

"That was me" Grace replied "And I'm not apologising. I'm not even sorry"

Finally Erik's laughter died down and he shifted to a more comfortable position in his seat.

"So what brings you down to my abode?" he asked

"We were worried about you and Grace" Christine replied "We decided to check in and tell you about what had transpired over the last year or so"

"I've been informed" Erik stated "Of everything"

"But how could you know Grace?" Raoul asked "You weren't even here"

"How hard is it to forget that I am from the future?" Grace asked "The story of the Phantom is well known in the future, I came here with prior knowledge" she paused

"Its part of the reason why I left the first time" she partially lied "I would have accidently said something at some point and changed everything… I only came back when the events had happened and I felt that I was old enough to handle it"

Erik glanced shamefully at Grace and felt guilt grip at him when she covered for him and his anger.

"What about Monsieur Gaulle?" Madame Giry asked, Grace screwed her face in annoyance

"No, I didn't mention that, I'd rather not talk about him though" Grace commented monotonously

Erik raised an eyebrow but didn't question further, Christine had already gone into the details of the Noble's intentions and Grace's courageous adventure in the work house.

"And she was caught in the explosion and didn't bother to acknowledge or tell anyone about it" Christine said finishing "Sounds just like something someone else would do"

Meanwhile Grace had tried to sink as far as she could go into her chair and Erik stared incredulously at her.

"And you failed to mention this because?" Erik asked

"One, I hate the man, Two, I didn't want to talk about it, Three, I knew you would all make a big deal about it and, Four, oh yes, I didn't want to talk about it" Grace replied sarcastically. She **hated** being the centre of attention.

Erik continued to stare wide eyed but the silence was interrupted by Nadir.

"I'm afraid we have to go, we all have places to be" he said standing up "I'm glad to see that you are okay Erik"

In response Erik's head snapped up surprised, he then nodded a thank you and watched as the others left one by one. He turned back to Grace

"An **explosion**?" he cried

~POTO~

_A/N: I actually found this chapter most enjoyable to write. I spoke to my dad about the 'trashing the office' scene and he made a comment about how he did something similar and how it was reflected in my work... Made my day :)... Anyway reviews would be appreaciated, feel free to tell me your feelings on the subject of Erik's memory loss, review me about anything, I'm craving the responses from my readers..._

_Cheers CB777_


	6. Chapter 6

A Reprise of Chance

Chapter Six

~POTO~

On the outskirts of Paris, a bar named "The Hydraulic Crane" sat on the beaten corner of two streets. The windows were cracked and fogged, the roof had sunken in over time and several shingles hung loose while a large majority of them were missing.

Inside, the air was think with cigar smoke and had a strong scent of liquor that stained the floors. Shadows huddled and clung to tables close to the walls, whispering about a finely dressed man who was sitting at a table close to the door.

The door creaked open noisily as Scarlette waltzed in wearing a neat dress. She stared at the hand that had pushed the door open and frowned as she wiped it on a nearby rag. Wrinkling her nose in disgust at the inhabitants, she made for the man at the table and sat down hastily as the other customers smirked and whistled at her.

"Ah, Scarlette, I'm so glad you could make it" the man said. He wore a long trench coat that was pulled up to cover part of his face and wore a hat that was pulled down low.

"Uncle, I don't understand why we had to meet here of all places. It's so... Unclean" she whined cringing at a waitress that the man had called over. A glass of clear liquid was placed before her and she let her hands pool in her lap.

"You know as well as I do that if the authorities were to find me my plan, and your future would be at stake" he replied. Light flickered off of a monocle as he looked up at his niece. She squirmed in the dim light as men at the other tables chuckled at her lack of comfort.

"I suppose you're right" Scarlette stated finally sitting still "I found who you were looking for"

"You did? That's excellent! Well done, Scarlette" the man praised leaning forward. He lifted a gloved hand onto the table with a small package in his hand "A gift then, for your efforts"

"Thank you Uncle" she replied taking the small gift. Inside was a small pendant on a silver chain, and she had to hide a cringe at the tacky quality.

"Tell me, what did you find out?" the man probed

"Apparently she has a lover" Scarlette huffed "One that she seems to be having trouble with" she then scoffed "Why are you so interested in this woman Uncle? It doesn't seem like you should even bother"

"In the past she has caused me a lot of trouble, and I feel entitled to repay the favour" the man sneered

"Uncle Gaulle, what exactly did she do?"

~POTO~

In the early morning hours Grace started her training regime. She stretched the muscles in her legs and arms, leaned backwards until she heard a satisfying crack and started jogging through the Opera house.

Starting from the catacombs she jogged up the stairs, two at a time, until she reached the hallways that connected to the dormitories, then, she slipped out into the corridor and continued on until she reached the stage and jogged along the wings, around the back to the other side.

She stopped for a five minute break, and then jogged to the stairs leading up to the roof. Instead of continuing on past the boxes of the theatre, she ran up the stairs to the door and slowed down to walk out onto the dry stone.

Grace let out a breathe that turned into mist in the air. It was getting colder and she would have to start taking precautions if she didn't want to catch a cold. She looked out onto the horizon where the sun was rising and noticed storm clouds that were grouping in the distance.

She looked up and noticed small rain clouds above the Populaire and felt prickling cool sensation that fell onto her arms. It was now raining lightly and she relished the feeling of the rain on her face. At least there was something to look forward t. She loved storms.

Pushing her thoughts to the side, she came back to why she had taken this route.

Grace pulled the time travelling watch off of her wrist and placed it on roof. She felt that she had held onto it for far too long and found that this would be a fitting way to be rid of it.

"Seems legit" she said quietly

She sighed and placed it near the edge. If she was lucky the wind would blow it off the top of the building and be destroyed on impact when it would hit the ground. Only, if she were lucky. She turned, hesitated, and then continued back to the roof entrance.

~POTO~

For the rest of the day, the Populaire continued on at a dreary pace. The progress was slow below on stage and Grace rolled her eyes at the dragging pace of the other stagehands. She stood up straight and waltzed up behind a pair that had decided to take a break and play cards.

"I don't know if Monsieur de Chagney would be happy to find that the funds for the opera house were being wasted on card games" She said quite harshly. Normally she would have happily let them play a game, or join in herself but lately she had been feeling quite irritated at the events that had occurred recently.

"Sorry Miss, we'll get back to work" one stuttered nervously sensing her growing anger.

She leant on the railing and sighed, rubbing the back of her neck she decided to check on Erik who was hiding in the shadows.

"Are you going to stay there all day?" she asked approaching him in the darkness

"Most likely, I don't want a repeat of the other day" Erik replied, raising an eyebrow he crossed his arms. "Why'd you leave the watch on the roof?" he asked

"I told you, it doesn't work, no use in keeping it now" Grace said shrugging

"What if it could be fixed?" Erik asked quietly.

She shifted uncomfortably.

"I… I don't know if I want it to be fixed" Grace replied, she sighed "It's true there are things I miss and crave, but I decided to stay here with you. I don't want to fall into the habit of coming and going as I please… I just fear that something bad would happen and I would never be able to see you again"

She didn't expect Erik's embrace, but leaned into him listening to his heartbeat.

"You have no idea how much I love you" Grace murmured into his chest. She heard his chuckle quietly and noticed it's rising volume. "Erik?" she asked

"I'm sorry, but it's hard trying to imagine you as an adult since I only remember you as a child" Erik answer. Grace pouted.

"Oh come on, I have proof, look at me" she said gesturing to herself

"I see it, but I don't believe it" he paused "Shouldn't you be focusing on your work, just because were married doesn't mean you can shirk your responsibilities"

"Hey, there's a difference between 'stagehand' and 'head stagehand', I just overlook everything, so don't try the intimidating look, two can play at that game" she cried indignantly glaring playfully at him

"Good, then they won't mind if I borrow you" he said hoisting Grace up over his shoulder.

"Erik!" she hissed quietly into his shoulder "Put me down! They'll wonder where I went"

"The fop can explain it to them" Erik snorted "Besides this can't wait"

"What can't wait? You've peaked my curiosity" Grace said giving up on trying to escape his grip

"Ah, that's a surprise" Erik said chuckling again

"Can you at least put me down?" she asked

"No, I'm enjoying this too much"

"I can tell"

~POTO~

Erik had blindfolded Grace and was now leading her to the Rue Scribe entrance of the catacombs.

"Eeerriiiik" she whinned "This isn't fuuuunnnnnny… I need my sight. I know you wouldn't dare, but I have this feeling that you're going to make me walk into a wall or something"

Erik scoffed

"Why would I do that" Erik asked raising an eyebrow

"… Because it's funny and people have done it to me before, blame Rachel and Tegan" Grace murmured more focused on supporting herself on the wall.

"… Who's Tegan?" Erik asked confused

"Oh right you haven't met her… Let's hope you don't" Grace shuddered

They finally made it to the door and Erik carefully escorted her out. He removed the blindfold and watched as Grace's eyes grew wide. Erik stood dressed in a toned down Red Death outfit and held out his hand.

"I have a gift for you" he said taking her hand. He lead her to a less crowded street and ushered her into a inconspicuous carriage that waited for them. Sitting across from her he smiled warmly and tapped the ceiling of the carriage.

It started to move and Grace stared questioningly at Erik

"Where are we going?"

"That my dear, is a secret, and Erik's secrets are Erik's secrets"

~POTO~

_Sorry this chapter took so long to be finished. I was taking a mental break and I hope you all like this chapter!_

_Cheers_

_CB777_


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey, it been a while. But I hope this chapter makes up for the long absence of this story. I also wanted to say I wont be updating regularly since I'm working now and I have hardly any time for anything. I sincerely apologise for the looonnng wait, cause I know it can be frustrating when someone doesn't update in ages. So this is here to tell you that I am continuing this story. **

**Anyway Enjoy**

A Reprise of Chance

Chapter Seven

~POTO~

Grace sat across from Erik catching glimpses of what was outside through a gap in the curtain. She could make out the evening coloured tones of the setting sun and noted that rehearsals had gone on later than usual, but the fleeting thought still didn't distract Grace from the secret Erik was keeping from her, 'where they were going'.

Erik chuckled mischievously at Grace's growing agitation and she turned her attention to him.

"Okay, enough with the games! Where are we going" she demanded. Erik chuckled again

"All in good time" he replied in a silky voice. She raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, if he could remember he would know that his voice didn't affect her as much as it could to others.

Grace inspected Erik's outfit and noticed the small changes that had made a huge difference, still amazing to look at, but looked somewhat lighter. She could see that he wasn't wearing any gloves or the cloak that would flow perfectly around him, and he still wore the trademark hat and mask. She gazed at the hat and in a quick movement she snatched it off his head and placed it on her own. She grinned impishly at him as realization hit him and crossed her legs triumphantly.

"You know" she started "I could use this to my advantage". He raised an eyebrow.

"The hat?" he asked worriedly

"No" she snorted, then shot him an evil smirk "I am the master of social awkwardness. I could turn this whole situation into one of chaos and disaster…" he rolled his eyes at the dramatics as she continued "But I won't. Because I'm too nice"

Erik scoffed

"Nice?!" he asked, irritation turning into amusement "I wouldn't call threatening me with social awkwardness a 'nice' thing"

Grace grinned at him. He found that he liked this look, better than the scowl she was wearing earlier while she contemplated their destination.

He once again reflected on the age difference between the younger Grace and the one before him, seeing as she was a grown woman now, but the childlike playfulness remaining.

He couldn't picture her as the woman in front of him, let alone picture her as his wife and for a moment felt guilty. Grace spotted his sudden mood change and leaned forward.

"Are you alright?" she asked placing her hand over his. Her hand was warm over his cool, bare hands and he closed his eyes enjoying the touch. He sighed and felt an upward tugging at the sides of his mouth: A smile.

He opened his eyes finding that Grace's were staring straight into his with loving warmth. His body relaxed more. There was something about those green, forest filled eyes that made him want to stare for hours. He may have not remembered some of the time they had spent together, but his body and subconscious did.

"… Yes" he said remembering the question "Just…" he couldn't find the right words

"Lost in thought?" Grace suggested for his usually quick silver tongue. He nodded uncertain, but pushed on through.

"It feels so different, being here, having all these people, that despised me, being decent with me. You've made such a difference in my life and I don't even remember"

"… _**It's like a horrible dream**_"

In that moment when Erik looked up, he saw and heard how much this situation made her feel. How it made her heart twinge and crush in on itself. The way her eyes filled with an emotion that made it seem like the world was falling down around her and how her voice overflowed with a crestfallen ritardando.

And when these details exploded in Erik's head, he, himself felt the heartbreak she did.

Leaning over he took Grace's hand and tugged her towards him. She looked up surprised and he enveloped her in his long arms as he pulled her into his lap.

"I'm sorry" he whispered into her hair. He had shifted the hat off of her head placing it on the seat and stroked one of his hands through her hair.

"But it's not your fault" Grace's voice cracked under the strain of keeping her emotions in check, but failed when tears welled up in her eyes. She buried her head in his chest crying softly and clutched onto Erik's gleaming vest grateful for the gravity he kept.

He hummed quietly for her as her shoulders shook in silent sobs. After a small while she stopped, sat up and dried her eyes hastily. The only noise that was made was the undercarriage thudding gently over some rocks.

"I can't believe you actually listened to what the fop said" Grace said slowly, causing Erik to lean back further into the seat, unsuccessfully, to avoid her gaze.

"Yes, well" he coughed nervously, '_why had he?_' he wondered "I-I-". Grace cut him off.

"Why would you do that? And listen to him of all people?" she wasn't really accusing him. They were just questions. Questions she wanted answered.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"I believe it was the heat of the moment" he said "I was angry and I didn't know what was going on. I was ready to believe anything"

"That I blackmailed you?!" Grace exclaimed "Actually, never mind, time-travelling teenager with knowledge of the past. I can totally see why you believed that!"

"Do you always go off on a tangent?" Erik asked

"What? No!" Grace said indignantly "I just think a lot, and my thoughts tend to go off in different directions, and then cross paths two hours, or a day, later"

"That's called, going off on a tangent" Erik replied

"Well, I go off on the best tangents!" Grace exclaimed "They are renown for their road trips"

"… Whats a 'road trip'?"

~POTO~

_Back in the office…_

Raoul growled impatiently as he gazed over his office. He hadn't had a proper chance to see the damage, but now he did, and he did not like what he saw. It was trashed, to be polite, and it didn't help that things were missing.

Christine stood behind him with a hand to her face giggling softly.

"You're not helping" he sulked

"I-I can't h-help it!" she said in between giggles

"It going to take hours, no. Days to fix this!"

Raoul picked up one of the many opera bills that were scattered on the floor. "Let alone sort this all out! Where are the blasted seating arrangements for the upcoming Gala!?"

"Raoul!" Christine shot him an unpleasant look "Calm down. We'll figure this out! We'll fix it!"

Madame Giry, who had been silent the entire time, held her hand to her face in an old fashioned face palm. As amusing as this was, she was the one who had to keep the level of maturity. But, she was finding it hard. Grace had done pretty well to destroy any sense of organisation.

"Where have the drawers disappeared to?!"

~POTO~

"So…" Erik said slowly "A road trip is when a group of friends get together and drive across the country, just so they can go somewhere?"

"In a manner of speaking" Grace replied. Her eyes were closed as she leaned into Erik.

The carriage slowly pulled to a stop and Grace shot Erik a questioning look

"Yes we're here" he sighed, opening the door into the cool Autumn air. Helping Grace out of the carriage, Erik draped a large cloak over her shoulders, planning ahead.

She sent another questioning glance and he took her hand, leading her up the side of a small hill. Grace looked around and noted that they were in a small wooded area.

Grace followed Erik up the hill. He would help her frequently when branches and medium sized rocks got in the way, and she found that climbing the miniscule nillside was harder than it looked.

They finally made it to the top and she found that the hill they had just climbed had a flat top with a large tree jutting off to the side. There was a picnic blanket and Grace turned to Erik. An unknown feeling stirred in her chest and she launched herself at him.

She realized that the feeling was similar to the one she felt when she first found out that Erik had to leave for London, England. It was the pain in her chest she felt when he left, hugging her tightly and telling her that he loved her.

"Whats wrong?" he asked gently "Did I do something wrong?"

"NO!" she yelled so suddenly that it made herself jump "Its just that this is so wonderful. You- I- OH BLOODY HELL! I love you! So much! And I just want you to know that no matter what you've done or will do, regardless, I will always be there for you"

Erik was shocked. He gazed at Grace warmly and embraced her, whispering things to her in French.

Gently he pulled her down into a sitting position with him on the picnic blanket.

He never expected her to be so fragile emotionally when it came to him and he felt unreasonably guilty.

It had been raining on and off throughout the day and Erik was grateful that they had hit a gap in between some of the more heavier downpours. The clouds were still thick, but were spread out creating open spaces up in the sky. The stars and moon shone through only slightly covered by the clouds.

Erik knew they had to leave soon, the threat of a storm loomed closer, but he knew they could spare half an hour, or maybe more.

He heard a contented sigh from Grace as she leaned into him and felt her shiver from a small breeze. The clouds were closer now and he hesitantly wrapped an arm around her, pulling the cloak tighter to keep out the chill.

Lightning went off in the distance, followed closely by the thunder. Erik heard her hum happily.

"I love storms" she said in gentle tones. Erik chuckled, amused by the fact that a large majority of the women in the Opera house were afraid by the loud thunder that would strike the tops of the buildings.

"I like that" he replied genuinely.

~POTO~

**Geez, what an emotional rollercoaster. Happy one minute, bawling her eyes out the next. Any I hope you enjoyed this chapter **

**Cheers**

**CB777**


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